Blackout lamps are commonly used on military vehicles in situations where it is desired to maneuver at night while producing minimal light, while at the same time providing safety for other vehicles following in a convoy formation. Typical blackout lamps for the rear of a military vehicle comprise two housings on either side of the rear of the vehicle, with each housing incorporating two red transparent filter panels with one or more incandescent lamps mounted behind each panel or light emitting diodes mounted behind a white (not clear) lens. Illumination of the incandescent lamps, which produce broad spectrum light, is filtered through the red panels in order to transmit only red light. Illumination of the light emitting diodes diffusely transmits light through the white panels. The lamps are illuminated at low light levels in order to not produce excessive light, which could alert an enemy to the presence of the vehicle. Such lamps also typically have visors protruding from the housing above the blackout lamp panels or the blackout lamps are recessed within the housing in order to limit identification of the lamps from the air. The housings also typically hold standard rear stop/tail/turn lights or front park/turn lights for use during the day and/or when blackout conditions are not warranted.
The prior art lamps are effective for camouflaging the vehicle while operating at night. However, the lamps do not provide adequate camouflage for the vehicle during the day. The military goes to great lengths to paint the vehicles in colors and patterns that make them difficult to spot in the area of anticipated operation, but the lamps on the vehicle are not well camouflaged and therefore compromise the safety of those operating the vehicle. In fact, because the lamps require an opening in the armor of the vehicle, they become targets for the enemy to aim their weapons at in hopes of penetrating the vehicle armor.
Some of the deficiencies in the prior art lamps used on military vehicles include the fact that the stop/tail/turn lamps are covered by red and/or amber lenses which provide the desired colored appearance to the incandescent white lamps mounted behind the lenses. These colored lenses deviate from the camouflaged appearance of the rest of the vehicle, thereby making the vehicle easier to spot by the enemy. Furthermore, the lenses are made from an optical grade material that is very good at reflecting light which impinges upon its surface from a source external to the lamp. Such reflections off of the lamp lenses also make the vehicle easier to spot. Similarly, the blackout lamps are covered by red or white lenses and are made from plastic with a reflective surface, causing the same problems noted above with respect to the stop/tail/turn lamps. The white lenses also provide a very high contrast with the remaining lamp housing, further drawing attention to the lamp.
Improvements in these areas are therefore needed.